Submitted by Carolyn Kovacs, Kate Rose, and Mike Sipos for the February 2026 NET Newsletter Southern Region Spotlight.
The Florida Society of Ethical Ecotourism (Florida SEE) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to maintaining a professional code of ecotourism ethics in order to encourage an awareness and stewardship of Florida’s natural and cultural heritage. As such, they provide education as well as promote professionalism within Florida’s ecotourism industry through a voluntary certification and recognition program. In 2024, Florida SEE partnered with Florida Sea Grant at University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Extension to relaunch its educational webinar series and re-engage current and prospective members following reduced participation during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Three Florida Sea Grant Extension agents joined the Florida SEE Board of Directors to form an education committee and restarted the Florida SEE Webinar Series, which had been dormant for several years. Over the past two years, the series has offered six monthly webinars each year from June through December. Webinars were delivered live and recorded for later viewing on the Florida Sea Grant YouTube channel, expanding statewide access. Webinar topics focused on Florida ecosystems and environmental issues relevant to ecotourism operators and educators, including invasive species, plastic pollution, red tide, coral reefs, estuarine ecosystems. Sessions also highlighted opportunities for participation in citizen science programs such as Eyes on Seagrass and Florida Horseshoe Crab Watch.
Across the 2024 and 2025 seasons, the webinar series reached 241 live participants and generated more than 1,500 additional online views. Post-program evaluations (n=147) showed a 33% knowledge gain among respondents. Sixty-four percent of participants identified as ecotourism operators or environmental or science educators. Participants reported using the information to update tour content, share conservation messages with clients, support classroom instruction, and engage in environmental stewardship activities.
While the webinar series serves as a continuing education resource for all, this is especially valuable for the Florida SEE–certified providers operating within the National Parks Preserve, who are required to participate in three hours of education and training annually. Participation in the webinar series allows them to complete their required continuing education to be allowed to operate within the preserve and parks with no additional costs.
Through this partnership, UF/IFAS Extension and Florida Sea Grant have played a central role in delivering credible, science-based education to Florida’s ecotourism community in an accessible and practical format. By connecting research, professional development, and real-world application, Extension agents have supported ecotourism operators and educators as trusted messengers of conservation, strengthening ethical tourism practices while expanding the reach of environmental stewardship to residents and visitors across the state.
Upcoming Opportunity: The Florida SEE 2026 Webinar Series will be held on the third Wednesday of each month from June through November, beginning June 17. Registration details will be available here.
Note: Article Edited by OpenAI. (2026). ChatGPT [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com.
Florida Sea Grant Extension Agent at University of Florida IFAS Extension